Thousands of years after the global nuclear conflagration, Earth had reverted to a primitive world of sword and shield, bow and arrow.
Amidst this sparsely populated world, the infant Vandar — by legend, son of the god Volcar — lay in a cave next to his dead mother. He is rescued by Janura Chen, general of the army of New Cordillera, and his future stepmother. Through the years he is mentored by Janura’s friend Kevin Olsgaard resulting in his admission into the military academy. His future as an army officer assured by his superior strength and military acumen is suddenly terminated by accusations from his stepbrother. Rather than face disgrace he journeys to find the truth of his parentage. He is attacked and kidnapped by Janura’s enemies and allies of those who would overthrow the government. Meanwhile she is also kidnapped and killed by these same insurgents. Rescued by his close friends from the academy, Vandar begins a new quest to save his village and find his stepmother’s murderers.
Michael DeMers beautifully weaves a complex Conan-like adventure with overtones of the intrigue of Game of Thrones. The reader finds surprises around every turn where one is never sure who is villain and who is hero. A nail-biter from beginning to end.
Michael DeMers grew up in East Grand Forks, Minnesota during the 1950s and 1960s. Beginning work at ten in the potato fields of the Red River Valley, his free time was spent playing sports and going to fantasy movies with neighbors. Surrounded by books at home, he spent hours immersed in the writings of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert E. Howard, Fritz Lieber, and Michael Moorcock. At that time, he developed the character of Vandar, whom he carried around in his head for decades. Later, a student of judo and archery, he also became an award-winning geography professor, traveling in the US and abroad. He spent his last 27 years as a geographer teaching at New Mexico State University. On retirement in 2021, he decided to let Vandar’s life unfold in what will be a series of up to ten novels.
